The benefit of a previous run down the Flemington straight helped the promising Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra-trained filly Arctic Angel at Ladbrokes Park on Zipping Classic Day where she enjoyed a dominant win in the Merson Cooper Stakes 2016.
Arctic Angel broke her maiden status second-up in Sandown’s 2016 Merson Cooper Stakes on Zipping Classic Day. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
On debut the well-bred daughter of Hard Spun finished under three lengths away fourth to Invincible Star in the Group 3 Ottawa Stakes (1000m) on Melbourne Cup Day.
She looked to tire late down the testing straight track and relished the bend at Sandown second-up in the $120,000 Listed Thoroughbred Club Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m).
There was plenty of money on the filly at Ladbrokes.com.au with Arctic Angel backed in from $9.50 to her $6 starting price in the set weights sprint.
After showing brilliant early speed from her wide barrier 12 of 13 draw, jockey Chris Symons was happy to let her roll to the front where she stayed for the eye-catching all-the-way win.
“That experience up the straight really helped,” Symons said.
“She was brilliant away today.
“I had a raging smile on my face when I straightened because I was travelling so well.
“She just powered away.
“She’s quite quick.”
Arctic Angel ($6) was too speedy for her rivals and in the end did it easy showing great class to hold off the fast-closing Tony McEvoy-trained Mikuni ($9.50) also having his second start, the colt winding-up well down the outside and obviously looking for more distance.
In third rounding out the trifecta was the Robbie Griffiths-trained Sepoy filly Zarpoya ($31) who came from the opposite side of the field having jumped from the inside alley.
Co-trainer Ellerton confirmed it was off to the paddock now for the Merson Cooper Stakes winner Arctic Angel who had achieved more in her first prep than he’d first imagined for her.
“She probably got tired late at Flemington [last start] but she took good benefit from it,” he said.
“I thought she saddled-up really well today and she did the job accordingly.
“She’s really blossomed all the way through.
“She’ll go out [to the paddock] now and have a good break.
“She might sit somewhere in the autumn.
“She’s an unassuming type of filly and she’s risen to every challenge we’ve thrown at her, so who knows where she’ll go.
“She did it quite professionally in the end today.”
To back Arctic Angel next start during her autumn campaign in 2017 at the right price – with Ladbrokes.com.au today!
2016 Merson Cooper Stakes Results & Finishing Order
Sandown Race 1 – 12/11/2016
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Wgt. | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | ARCTIC ANGEL | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | Chris Symons | – | 12 | 55kg | $6 |
| 2 | 1 | MIKUNI | Tony McEvoy | Luke Currie | 1.75L | 8 | 57kg | $9.50 |
| 3 | 14 | ZARPOYA | Robbie Griffiths | Ben E Thompson (a) | 1.95L | 1 | 55kg | $31 |
| 4 | 7 | KEDLESTON | Tony Vasil | Damien Oliver | 2.15L | 3 | 57kg | $5EF |
| 5 | 4 | VINLAND | Tony McEvoy | Kerrin McEvoy | 4.9L | 9 | 57kg | $5EF |
| 6 | 5 | FULLY MAXED | Shane Nichols | Alan Creighton | 5.4L | 2 | 57kg | $101 |
| 7 | 11 | FROM THE CLOUDS | Matt Laurie | Ben Melham | 6.15L | 10 | 55kg | $26 |
| 8 | 13 | HEATHERTON | Mick Price | Craig Newitt | 6.65L | 4 | 55kg | $10 |
| 9 | 12 | HERRERA | Robbie Laing | Kevin Forrester | 8.65L | 5 | 55kg | $7.50 |
| 10 | 8 | MALZOOM | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Craig Williams | 9.65L | 7 | 57kg | $12 |
| 11 | 3 | MY MOTHER SAYS | Peter Morgan & Craig Widdison | Stephen Baster | 9.75L | 13 | 57kg | $21 |
| 12 | 9 | RITORNO | Robbie Laing | Dwayne Dunn | 16.75L | 6 | 57kg | $61 |
| 13 | 6 | ANOTHER DEMON | Andrew Noblet | Jake Noonan | 20.25L | 11 | 57kg | $21 |
| – | 2 | EXPLICITLY | Robbie Laing | Hugh Bowman | – | 0 | – | – |
